Whisper Films Secures Ch4 Formula One Contract

Channel 4 has announced that sports production company Whisper Films will deliver coverage of the FIA Formula One World Championship for the channel.

The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process led by Ed Havard, Channel 4's Head of TV Events and Sport, and Stephen Lyle, who has been promoted to the new role of Head of F1. The contract will meet the start of the season on 20 March.

The announcement comes just a month after Channel 4 confirmed it was to become the new terrestrial television home of Formula 1 from 2016-2018. It will broadcast 10 live F1 races, practice and qualifying sessions each season, and highlights of all 21 Grands Prix and qualifying sessions.

Whisper Films was established in 2010 by former BBC Sport F1 producer Sunil Patel, former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard and BT Sport and former BBC F1 presenter, Jake Humphrey. Channel 4 took a minority stake in the production company in 2015 as part of its Indie Growth Fund.

As well as demonstrating innovation and creativity in their approach to producing Formula 1 coverage, Whisper Film's winning pitch included a number of key production personnel and presenters with extensive experience in the sport. These include Mark Wilkin, the editor of the BBC's F1 coverage, as programme editor.

The full presenting and commentary team will be announced in due course, but David Coulthard has been announced as the first signing of the on-screen presenting team.

North One Television will also work with Channel 4 on a number of accompanying programmes to support Formula 1.

Ed Havard, Channel 4's Head of TV Events and Sport, said: "Whisper Films outlined an extremely impressive and exciting vision for their F1 coverage, with outstanding on and off screen talent as an integral part of their pitch. We are delighted that David Coulthard will be at the heart of Channel 4's coverage and look forward to announcing the full presenting team in the coming weeks."

Sunil Patel, Executive Producer for Whisper Films, added: "Whisper Films has an unrivalled production team with over 20 years' experience in Formula One and unique contacts throughout the sport. Channel 4 and the sport have talked about a new approach and we believe we are ideally placed to deliver this."

David Coulthard commented: "This is an exciting time for the sport and an exciting time for Whisper Films. The F1 World has been incredibly impressed with what Whisper has delivered over the last five years and Channel 4's decision is testament to that. I'm looking forward to being part of an exciting new era for Formula One, with Whisper Films and our proven level of creativity and innovation very much at the heart of that."

www.channel4.com

(JP/LM)